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Another Sci Fi/ horror question
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Topic: Another Sci Fi/ horror question

John C Winfrey

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Richard Crane, a little known B horror film star was in which of the following films about a fellow in league with the Devil and could turn into any animal or take any shape to kill? He was also Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, on TV.
1. Neanderthal Man, co-starring Dick Shayne
2. Devil's Partner, with Ed Nelson
3. Devil's Rain, with Ernest Borgnine
4. A Deal with the Devil, co-starring Mickey Rooney
5. Beat the Devil-with Humphrey BogartThe film came out around 1961 and was a real winner. Best, John.
posted 08-24-2001 05:18 AM PT (US) 
Graham Watt

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Phew, John, let's see if I can eliminate any...Right, it's definitely NOT Beat The Devil!. Devil's Rain I saw (Borgnine, Bill Shatner and even John Travolta got melted in that, I think...), no, not Devil's Rain. Mickey Rooney? Doesn't sound right, jettison A Deal With The Devil. Neanderthal Man, mmm,...didn't see it, but I think that was more monster-on-the-loose SF.
So, it must be Devil's Partner, though I've never even heard of it, much less seen it.
Tell me I'm wrong, John (but give me a point for trying!)
posted 08-24-2001 07:47 AM PT (US) 
John C Winfrey

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You got it, Graham!!! Ed Nelson played a fellow who turned into horses, mountain lions and other assorted creatures to do his dirty work. Crane was the good guy in this one and in the final climatic scene, Crane is attacked by Nelson, as a horse. This one is not nearly as bad as the 1974 classic Jim Hutton film Psychic Killer. It was really rotten, but it had some of Goldsmith's music from Shock Treatment tracked in. Best, John.
posted 08-24-2001 05:07 PM PT (US) 
John C Winfrey

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Good job, Graham. Crane was also in Alligator People as the fellow in the rubbery suit, turning into the gator. Really plumb poor. John.
posted 08-24-2001 05:09 PM PT (US) 
Timmer

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Hey Mom Joan we'll have to be up at the crack of dawn to answer John's questions first now that Graham is back
posted 08-25-2001 06:06 AM PT (US) 
Graham Watt

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Neanderthal Man really threw me, John, because I was getting it confused with Alligator People. Something rung a bell about Richard Crane and one of those two titles. I nearly went for Neanderthal.SO, Timmer/John/Joan/Gae et al: This one isn't cheap 50s SF, but some of you will know:
James Bernard's stupendously exciting chase music for the last reel of Hammer's (Horror Of) Dracula was reused in which two subsequent Hammer films?
Hint: One of them is quite logical (and "reused" might not be quite accurate either...). The other isn't so obvious!
posted 08-25-2001 08:06 AM PT (US) 
joan hue

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Hey son Timmer, who let Graham through OUR door? Just kidding. Welcome back. We'll relish the competition. I left that question for Timmer just to massage his self-esteem and ego.
(Whispering again to John so Timmer won't hear. Didn't know the answer. Don't know the answer to Graham's question. This no cheating policy "ain't" good for the ego.)
posted 08-25-2001 10:15 AM PT (US) 
joan hue

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Hey on a rather unrelated note to the questions:AMC has been showing a lot of older horror 50’s 60’s
movies. I admit that I don’t pay much attention to all the
music scores in them as I wouldn’t listen to them as
stand alone CDs’, but yesterday the classic Invasion of the
Body Snatchers was on, so I watched that last half. One thing
I did noticed aside from the scary underscore was the lovely,
melodic love theme. Never had paid much attention to melodies
in creature features. Just always thought they'd used scary, bombastic music instead of attractive themes and melodies. Duh.posted 08-25-2001 10:25 AM PT (US) 
Ken S

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Dear Joan,
may I suggest a truly outstanding "B"-Horror Movie Music compilation for a wonderful listening experience -
it is titled HORROR! from Silva America - and it contains truly great re-recordings by the very fine Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra. Including romance and some great orchestral turbulence from THE HAUNTING (1959), FIEND WITHOUT A FACE, WITCHFINDER GENERAL (THE CONQUEROR WORM, THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF (1960) and many others.
posted 08-25-2001 02:39 PM PT (US) 
John C Winfrey

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Ken is right, Joan. That is an excellent CD. My favorite on there is the Witchfinder General. A horribly gross film, but great music. Really beautiful music for a really horribly bloody and stupid film. Vincent Price tortures innocent women saying they are witches so he can make money. At the end Ian Ogilvy chops him into one million pieces with an ax. Totally dumb. Then after it is all over, the girl and Ian both give long loud screams. Dumb. This movie was called Conqueror Worm back then.
Also recommended, if you ever get to see the really stupid Beast from Haunted Cave, it features some really good music by Fred Katz. He did several good scores for flat lousy films like Wasp Woman and so on. John.posted 08-25-2001 02:51 PM PT (US) 
Ken S

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Dear John C,I agree with you on the Witchfinder General movie - some claim it as a true classic of its makers; I admit that it is quite realistic (the witch-hunt period was indeed a chaotic time in world's history)... But, I personally don't "get a kick" out of these kind of movies which are not TRUE horror movies (rather like artistic splatters) - I like the older Gothic & Romantic approach to horror, which is more atmospheric...
I am a little curious to know about these Trivias of yours, John - is there some kind of history, a tradition, linked to them, or are they just for basic fun ? (Tough questions though, I must admit; I could not answer a single one...)
Regards, Kenposted 08-26-2001 05:38 AM PT (US) 
John C Winfrey

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I agree with what you said, Ken. I have the same view on it.On these questions:
From 1958 to 1964 I probably saw more of these than anyone in America. Here is where:
Sunset Theatre-in White Settlement, Texas
late night TV on Dallas' channel 8
Sci Fi Theatre on channel 5 in Ft. Worth
Nightmare on channel 11 in Ft. Worth
Drive-in theatres in Ft. Worth areaI saw hundreds of them along in those years.
and quite a few later on like "Attack of the Astro Zombies" when I was in Europe with Carradine in one of his worst films.Channel 11 which was one of the best independent stations in America back in those years, not now, showed many serials and older movies back then. It was a very good station. Channel 8 showed a lot of the 40's and 50's films too like Robot Monster and Snow Creature, so on.
I have an interest in lots of older films in general and throw those trivia questions on there for fun and to enlighten. More great questions to follow, some are easy, some are hard, as you noted. Many focus on the stars of these films.
As a former teacher of history and geography this fits with my mentality of a zillion facts. Thanks for your interest, John.
posted 08-26-2001 06:42 AM PT (US) 
Timmer

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Good call Ken and John, that is a great album and love that theme from Witchfinder!Graham, I can't remember
, I'm sure one of the 're-used' pieces was from a flashback scene but for the life of me I can't r'member which one, and I don't want to just make a guess?!Thanks Mom, some use I was though eh?!

...Timmer quietly slinks off to where he can't be found!
posted 08-26-2001 06:47 AM PT (US) 
joan hue

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Thanks everyone for the music suggestions. Horror music is not a genre I collect, but your suggestions sound super.Ken S., as an ex-English teacher, I must say that I have marveled at how well you write in English. Most of my American students didn't have your command of fluency, grammar, and punctuation. Bravo. Finland must have outstanding schools, and you must be very intelligent.
John, I went to all the horror movies as a kid. (Tarzan flicks too.) But we didn't have extra TV channels. Your retention is amazing.
[Message edited by joan hue on 08-26-2001]
posted 08-26-2001 08:06 AM PT (US) 
Graham Watt

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Correct, Timmer, one of the films that re-used the Horror Of Dracula chase music DID use it in a flashback (to the final chase scene of Horror Of Dracula, what a surprise), so it wasn't really "re-used", strictly speaking. What was Hammer's direct sequel to their original Dracula? Clue about the other film: it wasn't a horror movie, though Hammer marketed it that way.
posted 08-26-2001 09:18 AM PT (US) 
Ken S

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Graham - I KNOW I KNOW !!!The chase cue from HORROR OF DRACULA was used in Hammer's version of HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. James Bernard composed original music for the prologue of HOUND, but for some reason it was replaced with this DRACULA chase cue.
The cue is one of my Bernard-favorites, and it's quite a shame that the cue hasn't been included to any Hammer music albums.
posted 08-26-2001 11:24 AM PT (US) 
Ken S

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Oh, yes - silly me - I forgot to mention the sequel DRACULA, THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS which started with a montage from the original HORROR OF DRACULA... so I think this is the one you, Graham, originally meant.
posted 08-26-2001 11:28 AM PT (US) 
Ken S

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And then, finally, A BIG WARM THANK YOU for you both, John C. and Joan !!!John C - your history is indeed fascinating ! During this (almost a) month's acquaintance with MovieMusic com I have read and liked everything you, John, have written. It's important that we have here as intelligent and nice, courteous people like you, John - and also you, Joan ! And Timmer and Graham and PeterK and everyone else, too
(- and now I stop this, so nobody can accuse me for licking someone's ***
although this comes straight from my heart.)And Joan - I'm really blushing here
at your kind words ! The truth is that PeterK has slightly improved my review texts, but all other texts are 100% me. From the age of 8 I've been very interested in studying English. I started it all by reading "easy"-written Disney books, then movie magazines and even novels, so my vocabulary is quite extensive... However, my secret is, that I just don't write & post immediately, but read my every post carefully (and improve them) before sending them (- and the terrible truth is, that if I doubt the spelling of any word, I check it from a dictionary).But, honestly, during my many visits in U.S.A. and Great-Britain, many people have admired "me speaking English so fluently"... Would you believe, Joan, that I really can express myself much easier in English than in Finnish - this is a fact.
It's funny how a Horror Trivia turns into a nice chat
... Thanks, John C. and Joan !posted 08-26-2001 12:04 PM PT (US) 
Graham Watt

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Absolutely correct, Ken, about the James Bernard music! I agree, that's a terrific cue, and indeed the whole score is tremendous. It's such a landmark that I think it would have been released by now if it were at all possible, which leads me to believe that it's a lost gem. Such a pity if that's the case.
posted 08-26-2001 12:45 PM PT (US) 
John C Winfrey

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Graham and Timmer, I recall that great music you are talking about too. Its really good. I have also seen all those films you two mentioned. Some of them are pretty fair. Better than most of the junky films I have mentioned. Ken, thanks for the compliments. We do have a lot of good people on this board. Best, John.
posted 08-26-2001 01:13 PM PT (US) 
John C Winfrey

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Joan, on your comment on the Tarzan films:channel 11 showed all the Johnny Weismuller films back then and the Bruce Bennetts and Gordon Scott ones too. I saw all those back then. The Lex Barker ones I saw at the Sunset. Best, John.
posted 08-26-2001 01:17 PM PT (US) 
John C Winfrey

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and the Jock Mahoney ones also at the Sunset and Downtown Drive-In where we met him. He was touring with that Tarzan Goes to India film in 1963. I asked him how he liked being in the Three Stooges shorts years before. He just smiled and said "Well, I'd rather forget that." He was 45 at the time and in great shape. John.
posted 08-26-2001 01:18 PM PT (US) 
Ken S

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Graham,
regarding the HORROR OF DRACULA score, as a matter of fact, during July I was in contact with Music Collection International (they have produced a very good series of authentic soundtracks from Hammer films under GDI Records/Demon Music Group labels)... I was told that the original master of HORROR OF DRACULA is destroyed and that Bernard himself doesn't have any copies of the original masters - although a couple of original music cues still exist. They also told they are planning for another album and they might consider including these existing tracks on that album.
posted 08-26-2001 01:33 PM PT (US) 
Graham Watt

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Well, Ken, I'll put a purple sad face on this message, because what you say confirms what I thought, that a substantial chunk of the original is lost. I wonder which cues have survived (maybe I should put a happy yellow face on now).So no complete Horror Of Dracula. A re-recording just wouldn't be the same. I've heard a couple of takes on James Bernard's music done by others, and they seem to me to really lack the edge brought to the original scores.
posted 08-27-2001 03:48 AM PT (US) 
Timmer

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Thanks for the kind words Ken
GDI's next releases are Dr.Jekyll And Sister Hyde by David Whitaker, and Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter by the wickedly underated Laurie Johnson...both scores are excellent!
John, who would have thought one of your trivia questions would turn into a 25 posts plus monster

One last thing, we haven't seen Gae here for some time now? where are you buddy??
posted 08-27-2001 04:14 AM PT (US) Old Infopop Software by UBB
